


It Takes Practice

by MiMyMomo



Category: Firebringer - Team StarKid
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hunting Fic, Jazzalil, cave wives being there for each other, i wish was this productive when it came to school, i wrote this right after the livestream finshed last night, jemilla being paranoid is my speciality i guess, these tags are a mess, zazzalil is a good wife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 02:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18420852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiMyMomo/pseuds/MiMyMomo
Summary: Zazzalil tries to teach Jemilla how to use a spear correctly. Let's just say, it doesn't go as easily as either of them wanted it to go.Or: Zazzalil comforts her stressed-out wife who can't throw a spear to save her life.





	It Takes Practice

**Author's Note:**

> So I got the idea for this story randomly during the 10-year anniversary livestream yesterday and wrote this whole four-page story right after it ended. Then managed to finish it at 8 this morning (and I live on the west coast, which is the same timezone as Starkid), so I'm pretty impressed with how fast I managed to type this out instead of working on anything else!  
> But anyway, here's another Jazzalil fic because they are my life right now (along with Meredith Stepien and Jon Matteson and just Starkid in general).  
> Enjoy!

“Come on Jemilla, just try it!”

    “Zazzalil no! This is really dangerous...why did we think this was a good idea again?”

    Zazzalil put her hands on her hips and stares down at her wife from a few feet away. “It was YOUR idea to practice using the spears so we could, and I quote: 'hunt more proficiently,’” she remarks sarcastically using air quotes.

Jemilla groans in defeat lowering the spear she held in her hands, knowing that her wife was, sadly, correct. “Stupid me. Why must I always strive to be so prepared?” she murmurs under her breath.

    The two co-leaders were out in a field just outside of the tribe's vicinity. They had set up what Zazzalil generously called a ‘target practice area’, for members of the tribe to learn how to properly use spears and other weapons and tools without hurting themselves or causing another ‘lighting the village on fire’ incident. Today was Jemilla’s turn and to say she was hesitant would be an understatement. “Yeah but-"

    “Ah, ah, ah,” Zazzalil chimes in, cutting off her wife’s complaint in her tracks. She steps in front of her taller spouse, spear in her hand, the pointy end up high facing the blue and partly cloudy sky. “You promised to learn how to hunt and use a spear. So you’re gonna do it.

    “But hunting is more your thing, not mine! I’m more of the ‘stay back and supervise things’ type of person. Plus I already know how to use a spear, I used one to help you fight against Snarl remember! That’s basically enough right?

    “No, Jemilla. It’s really not.” Zazzalil leans the spear against the tall tree, displaying a large animal skin the tribe used as a target.  
    “Well, I think it is,” Jemilla counters smugly.

    Zazzalil sharpens her gaze and slowly marches over to stand only inches away from her wife. Jemilla feels her body stiffen, not use to Zazzalil acting this forceful and strict. She was kind of cute like that...

    Zazzalil sighs, closing her eyes tight and pinching the bridge of her nose, “Jemilla, you know I love you right?”

    “And I love you too, but babe-"

    “And that I would never put you intentionally in danger?”

    “Yes, I know that Zazz but-"

    “And only want what’s best for you and the rest of the tribe?”

    “But Zazzalil-"

    Zazzalil places a finger on top of Jemilla’s lips, silencing her mid-sentence. “Jemilla. After what happened with Snarl, I can’t help but worry but other bad things that could happen to us and the rest of the tribe. What if we run into another vicious predator, even bigger than Snarl? Or what if next time its people who want to attack us? I don’t think I could handle losing you or having anything bad happen to you,” Zazz spoke, voice thick with pent up emotion. Jemilla can’t help but wonder how long she has been thinking about things like this? How long she’s been this scared, holding in her fear? Just wearing a brave for everyone else?

    Zazzalil removes her finger from Jemilla’s mouth, replacing the gesture by lifting her hands to cup her wife’s face, her warm cheeks now a flustered light pink. “I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you, so, can you do this? For me? Can you just trust me on this?” Jemilla could see the sincerity in her pleading eyes. She takes a deep breath and clutches the spear in her hand.

    “I guess it can’t be too bad,” Jemilla has to look away from her the shorter woman’s gaze, unsure if she would be able to handle telling this to her face.

    Zazzalil smiles and steps back, hands moving to her hips again but this time is satisfaction rather than irritation. “Okay, then. Let me teach you the basics first. First, you hold it like this,” Zazzalil takes Jemilla’s hands in her own and wraps them into the correct position around the stick. Once she’s done that she stands behind Jemilla and puts her into position. Jemilla, thinking she has nothing to lose, takes the time to fluster her wife by pressing her back into Zazzalil’s frontside.

    “Stop that...” Zazz huffs, cheeks aflame.

    The two then spend time practicing various actions ranging from stabbing motions to what could be the bane of Jemilla’s existence, throwing the spear to hit the target.

    “Shit!” Jemilla cries after missing the target yet again for what felt like the millionth time that day.

    “Here, let me show you again,” Zazzalil says patiently, taking away the spear from the clearly angered woman. “So you stand like this,” Zazz says as she gets into her stance, looking like this was second nature to her. “Then you visualize and lock eyes with the target. Then...throw it!” The spear launches through the air, perfectly piercing in the center of the hanging skin, staying in place in the trunk of the tree.

    Jemilla stood eerily still, baffled at just how well Zazzalil was at using her spear. Without even turning around, Zazzalil could sense her wife’s frustration while she pulled her spear out of the rough bark.

    The sun was beginning to set over the valley. The sky once a crisp, crystal blue now a melting swirl of pinks, oranges and yellows, and hints of violet blues. Jemilla languidly wipes excess sweat from her forehead, picking up the spear and rolling it in her hands.  
    Zazzalil frowns, “hey, it’s okay. We can be done for today.”

    “I didn’t manage to hit the skin on the tree one single time...” That was true. In the hours they had been out here in the sweltering heat, Jemilla missed every throw she threw. In fact, she was so bad Zazzalil wouldn’t hesitate to say she was the worst in the tribe, even more so than Emberly, who easily had the worst eyesight of the bunch.

    “Hey it takes time,” Zazzalil tries to comfort her wife but Jemilla just harshly rubs at her eyes, the sweat stinging her eyes and Zazz swears she could see a start year roll down her cheek. “Jemilla?”

    Jemilla scoffs and rolls her eyes up in the direction of the sky, saying nothing. Zazzalil already knew that the aggression wasn’t directed towards her and she had a feeling she knew what Jemilla was trying to say.

    “Hey, I get that you’re frustrated but as I said, it takes time. I’ve been hunting and practicing for a while now. And for your first day, you didn’t do-too...bad...?”  
    “I’m not going anywhere until I hit this damn tree,” Jemilla laments.

    Now it’s Zazzalil’s turn to roll her eyes, “Jemilla you’re being ridiculous.”

    “Weren’t you the one telling me that I had to practice using this stupid thing?” Jemilla yells.

    “Well, I didn’t think you would be this terrible at it!” ‘Word choice of words Zazz...’

    Jemilla glares at her wife then lets the spear fall from her hand, “I told you I wasn’t cut out for this...”

    “Since when have you been the one to give up?” Zazzalil presses back. “Aren’t you usually the one who tells everyone else to keep trying and not get discouraged over failures. Why can’t you do that for yourself?”

    “Because...”

    “Because what Jemilla?” Zazzalil exclaims, exasperated by the charade at this point.

    “Because I’m a leader of the tribe! And as the leader you’re supposed to be good at all this stuff,” Jemilla’s voice grows softer and softer as she goes on. “Like you said, what if something bad happens and I can’t protect you guys...? That’s on me.”

    “No, that’s where you’re wrong J-Mills,” Zazz says stepping in close into, just centimeters apart. “Taking care of the tribe is on BOTH of us.” Zazz takes Jemilla’s hands in hers, intertwining their fingers, “we both have our strengths and weaknesses and together we help balance each other out. You don’t have to pretend to be great at everything anymore Jemilla. I’m here.”

    Jemilla wipes her eyes once more, this time not from an ounce of sweat, solely misty tears. “When did you get so wise huh?”

    Zazzalil grins, “funny you should ask, there’s this woman that I married who I believe is rubbing off on me. She gives out good advice once and a blue moon. She’s pretty inspirational and smart, maybe too much for her own good...”

    “Yeah, yeah, ha, ha, ha,” Jemilla chuckles, wrapping her arms snuggly around Zazzalil’s waist. Zazz does the same, only placing her arms around Jemilla’s neck. The two leaned forward, closing the minuscule gap between them.

    The kiss is warm, the heat from their meeting lips seemingly spreading throughout their bodies from reddening cheeks and necks, to fingers now locked around locks of curly brown hair or pinching clothing, all the down to their toes. Even after so much time has passed, Jemilla still feels the fluttering excitement in her stomach whenever she and Zazzalil kiss, something that in her previous marriages never seemed to last very long. No matter if the kiss was short and sweet or long and salacious like this one now, Zazzalil never fails to make Jemilla feel giddy and loved. Something she appreciates more and more every day.

    They pull away breathing deeply, hearts pounding wildly, foreheads touching. They smile.

    “I’m going to try one more time.”

    “...are you kidding me right now?"

    “Just once more, then I’ll stop, promise! I just have a good feeling about this one,” Jemilla barters. Optimistic brown eyes meet with hesitant brown. “Will you stay with me?”

    “Yeah, of course, I will.”

    The two separate and Jemilla gets into position while Zazzalil takes a few steps back. Jemilla gets ready to throw but pauses. “Hey Zazz, can you come here real quick?”

    “Uh, sure?” Zazzalil walks back over to Jemilla, “what’s up, need me to show you again?”

    “No, I’ve got that down.”

    “Then what’s up?”

    Jemilla smirks, pulling Zazzalil forward by the front of her dress and placing a tiny, second long kiss on her lips. Zazzalil gasps from being caught off-guard. “For good luck. Thanks, babe.” Zazzalil just nods still too shocked to speak coherently.

    Jemilla lifts the spear back into the air, just above her shoulder. She takes a second to close her eyes and breathe before opening them again and-whoosh.

    Thunk!

    The spear isn’t center, so close to the top of the animal skin target it’s almost off it entirely. But it’s on there, stuck in the tree.  
    Jemilla spins around, an astound gasp on her face. Various happy-panicky squeaks escape Jemilla’s open mouth as she waves her arms around frantically, pointing back and forth from the spear nicely lodged in the tree. Zazzalil couldn’t speak Jemilla squeal but if she had to translate she’s sure she would be saying, ‘am I dreaming? Do you see this?’

    Zazz feels a wide smile breaking out over her face as she makes her way over. And maybe a tear falls or two, but she will never admit that out loud. “You did it Jem!”

    Jemilla beams backs at her, pulling Zazzalil into a bone-crushing hug, “yeah, I did!”

    They stay there for a couple of minutes until the sky is nearly completely dark. The golden grass they stand in now a dark shadow. They take down the target skin, grab the spears and make their way back to the tribe, hand, and hand.

    “Thank you Zazz.”

    “For what?”

    “For pushing me to keep going. Making me try something I was too scared to do.”

    “Yeah, no sweat. You should be proud of yourself. You did amazing today.”

    Zazzalil glances up to see Jemilla with a content smile on her face, proud of achievement today. “It may have taken hours, but I finally managed to throw the spear right. And it was all thanks to you Zazz. Well, you and you good luck kiss as well.”

    Jemilla watches Zazzalil blush and giggles, giving the shorter girl’s hand a quick squeeze.

    “Yeah...we need to teach you how to throw a spear right without having to kiss me first for it to land.”

    “But we can continue to use the kissing technique for now right?”

    “Sure thing Jemilla, but just for now.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: mimymomo  
> Come chat to me about Jazzalil, or Firebringer or just Starkid in general! My messages are always open!!


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